No7 Match Made Lipstick Service & No7 Moisture Drench Lipstick in Rose Mist

No7 Moisture Drench Lipstick in Rose Mist (630)

No7 Moisture Drench Lipstick in Rose Mist (630)

Hello all,

Firstly, I must apologise for how long it has been since I last posted anything. I’m currently 8 1/2 months pregnant and have been crazy busy in my free time with antenatal appointments, shopping for baby items and ‘project managing’ my husband with the DIY jobs of our house.

I finally got to the shops this weekend for some hospital bag essentials and decided to treat myself to a non-essential lipstick.

I do have a slight obsession with buying and owning lipsticks (but not actually wearing them). My very late mid-year resolution is to wear more of the ones I have and if I buy a new one to wear it straight away.

So far I have managed to to do this with a red lipstick and the one I bought at the weekend.

So this post is about the lipstick I purchased and how I came to find it.

No7 at Boots have offered a colour match service for foundations for some time now. I had my foundation matched about a year ago (so probably due another one). I was matched as ‘Warm Ivory’. I duly bought the foundation, matching concealer and have been happy with both ever since.

However, I have often lamented since then, that no one could then tell me what lipstick would work for me based on my colour.  It is like a piece of the skin tone/makeup choice puzzle is missing. I mean different sales assistants could offer an opinion, but away from the counter I had no point of reference. That was until No7 launched their new Match Made Lipstick service. The moment I saw the advert I was eager to get to Boots. However, for various reasons already mentioned, this just didn’t happen….for ages!!!

Then one idle lunch break whilst I was on the internet, I saw that they had set up an online Match Made Lipstick Selector service which helps you choose the colour from the comfort of your own desk/bedroom/bus ride. Just select your foundation match, pick your colour family (Coral/Pink/Red) and browse the options they feel would work best for you.

Although the skin colour of the virtual model may not exactly match yours, you can get a pretty good idea of how it may look, or you can just make a note of ones you’d like to try in-store and finally go in armed with some kind of system of reference. Ah the relief!

I did a bit of both, researching the ‘Pinks’ I liked, then this weekend hitting the counter with my ideas and some advice from the sales assistant.

This is how the service looks online:

I was torn between Deep Rose and Pink Petal when I hit the counter. I knew I wanted the Moisture Drench lipstick because the Stay Perfect range is just too drying for me.

Once at the counter I tried on both. The Deep Rose was a lovely warm pink with a hint of brown. The problem is that this is what I always go for and then I feel disappointed that it’s not ‘pink’ enough. The real bright pinks scare me, so the sales assistant moved me away from Pink Petal and directed me to Rose Mist which I had looked at online (above), but had dismissed for reasons I cannot remember now.

And this is the great thing about using the online match service and then heading to the counter. I had already narrowed down my choices so I didn’t feel bamboozled by the dozens of choices available. I was able to have a pretty quick consultation with an experienced sales assistant (as neither one of us had to go through testing every bloody pink on the counter) and then I was free to walk around assessing the colour in the shop lights an outside before making a decision. So much less stressful than my usual clueless hour long browsing sessions.

So, back to my actual choice of Rose Mist. In the flesh the colour is lovely. It’s a true pink, not too cool and not too warm, very neutral. It is moisturising and build-able. This meant I could smudge it on with my fingers for a daytime look and then build it to a denser colour for an evening. The colour pay off is really great considering it isn’t a long lasting or super matt finish.

 

I’m really happy with this colour. Finally a pink that isn’t coral or brown based, isn’t super bright, too blue or plain frightening, but a wearable colour that lifts my complexion and makes me feel just that little bit more polished than usual. I think I will be breaking this out quite often.

No7 Lipsticks are priced mid-range at £9.95, but I had a handy Boots voucher with money off so it was a bargain at under £7. Much more palatable for a mum-to-be who has tons of nappies to stock up on.

 

What do you think of the colour? What other pinks do you think I should try? Let me know if you try the foundation or lipstick match service and what colours you bought.

I really hope now that No7 can match my foundation, concealer and lipstick, they create a service for colour matching blusher too. Then my makeup essentials will be well an truly sorted. In the meantime, I may venture back to find my perfect Red!

 

 

 

 

Barry M Pink Orchid Blusher & Coral Lip Gloss Wand

 

Today i’m reviewing two products that have been staples in my makeup bag/handbag during the past few months, the Barry M Blusher in Orchid (bl1) and the Barry M Lip Gloss Wand in Coral (11).

Barry M Blusher

Firstly, I didn’t actually discover Barry M products until last year when I was mooching around on my lunch break at my local Superdrug store. At first, all the bright colours in the display unit had me hastily backing away and assuming this was a brand for teenagers only and that my 30 something face would only resemble a clown if it played host to anything on the shelf.

In one way, its target market is the younger generation as it continually brings out very on-trend colours at very low prices – very appealing traits coveted by the teenage population.

However,  upon closer (tentative) inspection, I came to appreciate the hidden gems in the range that can work for most ages if you are brave enough to overlook what appears to be very intense pigmentation and take a moment to actually swatch it onto your skin.

I decided to take the plunge and pick up their blusher. This is what Barry M say about their blushers:

These extra fine blushers are available in a variety of sheer colours for easy blending and a perfect, flawless finish. They contain the anti-oxidant Vitamin E to protect and condition the skin and keep it smooth and supple.

Their blusher range mainly includes variations of pink with some more neutral colours thrown in: Strawberry Whip, Peaches & Cream, Terracotta, Raspberry, Rose (maybe my next purchase), and my choice, Pink Orchid.

 

I decided to pick up Pink Orchid (bl1) which is a cool-toned pale pink (not quite pastel though). I liked this colour because when applied to the apples of your cheeks, it gives you a really girly playful flush of colour with enough contrast to stand out without looking fake. A bit like a pretty dolly, but not full on Barbie!

These are my before and after photos in natural daylight which is how I like to test my makeup:

The texture of the blushers is fine, not super soft but not grainy and the finish is matt – which for a cheap highstreet brand is rare (If you want sheen or sparkle, these are not for you).

Application is smooth and surprisingly build-able considering it looks so bright in the packaging, but it also has enough pigmentation that you don’t have to apply too much before you get a good flush going on.

I don’t tend to comment much on packaging unless it is really pretty or innovative in some way, but I will just say that as bland as the packaging can appear, it is sturdy and practical and after being jostled around in my makeup bag and hand bag still hasn’t cracked or broken in any way.

The brush that comes with the blush is soft but very small and not ideal for blusher application, but then I rarely come across products where the brush included is much cop. Suffice to say I apply this with my own blusher brush.

I am in the market for another blush to add a bit more warmth to my complexion as Autumn approaches, so I will be popping back in-store to to pick up “Rose” and will review that once Autumn is underway.

Retailing at around £4.99, these blushers are an absolute bl**dy bargain and you really cannot go wrong experimenting with one or two colours. Really what have you got to lose?

Barry M Lip Gloss Wand

Suitably impressed by my Barry M Blusher and in desperate need of a gloss for the Summer, I was lured towards their Lip Gloss Wand in Coral (11).

Barry M say:

Shimmering, sparkling and solid colour lip glosses for the shade that suits you. The formula provides long-lasting wear without being sticky and they are all infused with an irresistible scent. A soft wand applicator ensures they glide on easily to the shape of your lips.

The colours available are: Strawberry Milkshake, Coral, Bubblegum Pink, Pastel Pink, Strawberries & Cream, Toffee and Coconut Clear.

 

Now, as I write this post it has become obvious to me that the lip gloss wands seem to roughly relate to the blushers. SO, Strawberry Milkshake lips would look lovely and subtly harmonised with a Strawberry Whip cheek. So I guess with my Pink Orchid blusher, I should have picked up the Pastel or Bubblegum Pink Gloss…..but I didn’t. I went with coral instead as sometimes you just don’t want to go all matchy matchy!

Coral is neither opaque or sheer but sort of mid coverage gloss (if that is a term?). It’s light pinky coral in colour, so for me does not differ much from my own lips and for others would be very wearable I think.

It’s super lightweight, smells like melon and is not sticky at all. Therefore, I can’t say it has much staying power, but it’s so cheap that at £4.49, that you don’t mind reapplying it.

(FYI – I didn’t realise how much nostril action was in these shots – I do apologise)

It gives my lips a nice ‘pout’ effect and a slight hint of colour which is great for everyday wear with all different colour blushers. This particular one doesn’t contain any shimmer, so I may pick up another one that will give me a nude lip with oomph for the evenings – perhaps “Toffee” next time, as I think that would look great with a smokey eye.

In summary, I have been impressed by this brand and fully intend on buying more of their makeup in the future.

I have some of their Matt Lip Paints and Nail Paints floating around my cosmetics bag which I’ll review in the not too distant future -so stay tuned. Psst, If you like bright pink lips or are looking for the perfect ‘nude’ nail colour, then the post could be right up your alley.

Have you tried the Barry M Range and what were your favourites?